TFW
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Rice Baseball 2019 Predictions
I’m wondering what everyone thinks the 2019 baseball season will be like. I’m optimistic what with a new Coach and all, but I don’t know anything about the returning players or new players or the coaching staff, and how that all mixes together.
Given how this football season is going (high hopes and moderate expectations that have since dropped) I’m concerned about baseball.
Is it too much to hope for 40 wins and a CUSA tournament berth? How about an NCAA tournament berth; is that remotely possible? Is the “cupboard bare,” as we are being told with football?
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10-20-2018 07:40 AM |
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waltgreenberg
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RE: Rice Baseball 2019 Predictions
It's way too early to make any prediction, especially with a bunch of key players who are injured or sitting out Fall Ball (i.e., Garcia, Canterino, DiCaprio, Edwards), and not knowing whether Greenwood will have to sit out the year after transferring from Mizzou.
I'm looking forward to catching next Friday's exhibition against the Aggies, and then a couple of the final Fall Ball intrasquads the following week.
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10-20-2018 07:55 AM |
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RiceFootball2K5
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RE: Rice Baseball 2019 Predictions
I predict at some point this year the best uniforms in college baseball will be messed with to try some awful version incorporating the chicken head logo.
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10-20-2018 11:16 AM |
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ExcitedOwl18
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RE: Rice Baseball 2019 Predictions
I think we have a chance to be pretty good (relative to the last two years) if we can get and stay healthy.
We should have pretty good weekend starters but I’m concerned about the bullpen.
Offensively, we lose a bunch from last year but also return some pieces. I just don’t think there’s much depth in case of an injury.
In terms of what I want to see: 1) A properly managed pitching staff with a good arm care program and limited to no “dead arms.” 2) An improved fielding percentage with less stupid errors and knowing how to field bunts.
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10-20-2018 01:01 PM |
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Tiki Owl
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RE: Rice Baseball 2019 Predictions
(10-20-2018 11:16 AM)RiceFootball2K5 Wrote: I predict at some point this year the best uniforms in college baseball will be messed with to try some awful version incorporating the chicken head logo.
When we got away from the classic white (which I usually refer to as Dodger white) and the traditional road grays both using the old English script spelling Rice and went with pinstripes and an OER or any of the other 2 or 3 versions then we had already screwed up IMHO. I was not a fan of what most of us refer to as the “football jersey” we started wearing in 2003 either but could live with those on a limited basis.
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10-20-2018 01:07 PM |
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Tiki Owl
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RE: Rice Baseball 2019 Predictions
(10-20-2018 01:01 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote: I think we have a chance to be pretty good (relative to the last two years) if we can get and stay healthy.
We should have pretty good weekend starters but I’m concerned about the bullpen.
Offensively, we lose a bunch from last year but also return some pieces. I just don’t think there’s much depth in case of an injury.
In terms of what I want to see: 1) A properly managed pitching staff with a good arm care program and limited to no “dead arms.” 2) An improved fielding percentage with less stupid errors and knowing how to field bunts.
I’ll add a running game and an ability to execute sacrifice bunts.
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10-20-2018 01:09 PM |
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Tomball Owl
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RE: Rice Baseball 2019 Predictions
(10-20-2018 01:09 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote: (10-20-2018 01:01 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote: I think we have a chance to be pretty good (relative to the last two years) if we can get and stay healthy.
We should have pretty good weekend starters but I’m concerned about the bullpen.
Offensively, we lose a bunch from last year but also return some pieces. I just don’t think there’s much depth in case of an injury.
In terms of what I want to see: 1) A properly managed pitching staff with a good arm care program and limited to no “dead arms.” 2) An improved fielding percentage with less stupid errors and knowing how to field bunts.
I’ll add a running game and an ability to execute sacrifice bunts.
Running game? Baseball is going up the middle on 1st down as well?
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10-20-2018 03:09 PM |
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waltgreenberg
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RE: Rice Baseball 2019 Predictions
(10-20-2018 01:09 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote: (10-20-2018 01:01 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote: I think we have a chance to be pretty good (relative to the last two years) if we can get and stay healthy.
We should have pretty good weekend starters but I’m concerned about the bullpen.
Offensively, we lose a bunch from last year but also return some pieces. I just don’t think there’s much depth in case of an injury.
In terms of what I want to see: 1) A properly managed pitching staff with a good arm care program and limited to no “dead arms.” 2) An improved fielding percentage with less stupid errors and knowing how to field bunts.
I’ll add a running game and an ability to execute sacrifice bunts.
This. Though at Tennessee Tech, Bragga hardly ever bunted.
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10-20-2018 03:48 PM |
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waltgreenberg
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RE: Rice Baseball 2019 Predictions
(10-20-2018 01:01 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote: I think we have a chance to be pretty good (relative to the last two years) if we can get and stay healthy.
We should have pretty good weekend starters but I’m concerned about the bullpen.
Offensively, we lose a bunch from last year but also return some pieces. I just don’t think there’s much depth in case of an injury.
In terms of what I want to see: 1) A properly managed pitching staff with a good arm care program and limited to no “dead arms.” 2) An improved fielding percentage with less stupid errors and knowing how to field bunts.
I think it all depends on what our pitching staff looks like in February. Certainly, Canterino and Moss are as strong a 1-2 starters as there is in CUSA, and could probably hold their own against anybody. Jefferies would make a very strong Sunday starter, but he may be more valuable as our jack-of-all-trades in they bullpen. If Esquivel is finally healthy, and Kravetz can continue to pitch the way he did late last year, that will greatly solidify the bullpen, and add a lot of experience. Ditto Parthasarathy, who has pitched really well so far this Fall, reminiscent of his Freshman year, before getting injured. If eligible, Greenwood would be our #3 or #4 starter. Garcia and Gayle are once again the wild cards. They both have elite stuff IF they can throw strikes, stay healthy and stay focused....but that's a big "if". It also appears Bragga will finally give Schragger on opportunity. I like his sidearm delivery as strictly one-inning change of pace out of the bullpen. BTW, anyone know if Silber is injured, as like Garcia, he hasn't appeared yet in Fall intrasquads?
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10-20-2018 04:23 PM |
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